Bucking bronco amusement device



April 28, I D.' D. JOHNS BUCKING BRONCO AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov. 16. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (INVENTOR. DARYL. D. Jan-Ms BY ATTOQH 5Y5 April 28, 1959 D. D. JOHNS v2,884,247

BUCKING BRONCO AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov. 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. DARYL D. Jo Hus ATTO IZMEYS United States Patent 2,884,247 BUCKING BRONCO AMUSEMENT DEVICE Daryl D. Johns, Alexandria, Va. Application November 16, 1956, Serial No. 622,682 7 Claims. (Cl. 272-57) This invention appertains to improvements in amusement devices and is particularly directed to a novel device, which is simulative in action of the physical movements of a bucking bronco.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical means in association with a body portion that is formed to simulate the body of a bucking bronco, such mechanical means being operable in ground engagement to reproduce the physical actions of a bucking bronco.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a body portion, simulative of a bucking bronco, on which a person may be seated with their legs straddling the body portion and resting on the ground and top rovide a vertically reciprocable, ground-engaging member that is carried by the body portion and cooperates with the body portion in relative movements therewith so as to produce upward and downward movements of the body portion, forward, sideways, and reverse movements of the body portion While moving upwardly and downwardly away from the ground.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive, compact and simple amusement device, which can be used by children of all ages and which will possess exceptional amusement value, since it is so uniquely simulative of the physical action of a bucking bronco.

The foregoing and ancillary objects are attained by this invention, the preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the amusement device or bucking bronco, constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof, showing a user seated on the horse and straddling the same with his feet in ground engagement; such view showing the first position in the process of riding the horse;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the bucking bronco, illustrative of the second and third step in the riding process;

Figure 4 is a vertical, cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 4',

Figure 6 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the amusement device of this invention, which comprises a body portion- 12 that may be made of molded plastic, cast metal or any composition material and is formed and constructed in the shape of a horse of the rodeo variety, commonly referred to as a bucking bronco. The body portion 12 is intended to be formed in various sizes and shapes for use by individuals of varying ages and sizes 2,884,247. Patented Apr. 28, 1959 but, irrespective of such'factor, the body portion will essentially comprise a lower section 14, having the external appearance of a horses legs and hoofs in bucking position. The head portion 16 is desirably lowered but it is preferred that the head portion be universally connected with the body portion and, as shown in Figure 5, the tail 18 is universally connected with the body portion by means of a ball 20 and socket 22, so that the tail is free to move in any direction, during the operation of the device. Formed integral with the top of the body portion or, otherwise provided, is a saddle 24. The saddle 24 provides the seat means on which the user can sit in operating the device or, otherwise stated, riding the horse. It is to be particularly noted that there are no stirrups provided, since the operation of the device depends upon the feet of the user touching the ground, independent of the body portion 12, as shownin Figures 2 and 3, and as will be described.

The body portion 12 is provided with a cylindrical housing 26, which forms a circular and vertically extending opening 28 in the body portion. Obviously, if the body portion is made solid, instead of hollow, as shown in Figure 5, the opening 28 will be formed in the body portion and there will be no necessity for the provision of a separate cylindrical housing such as the housing 26. The opening 28 is provided internally of the lower sec tion 14 and extends through the lower end thereof. A ground-engaging element 30 is provided and is reciprocably disposed in the opening 28. Preferably, the opening 28 and the ground-engaging element 30 are circular in cross-section and may be considered as a cylinder and piston arrangement, though such an arrangement is merely exemplary of one form of ground-engaging element and mounting arrangement therefor. The ground-engaging element 30 is in the form of a solid block, which may be of any desired material and is provided with a semispherical lower end 32, which is adapted to engage the ground. The semispherical end 32 is provided to ensure what may he termed universal movement of the body portion with respect to a ground surface in the actual operation of the device, as will be described.

Resilient means is operatively interposed between the body portion and the ground-engaging element for the dual purpose of constantly urging the ground-engaging element downwardly and outwardly from the body portion so as to oppose the downward movement of the body portion relative to the ground-engaging element and also to dampen the inward or upward movement of the ground-engaging element relative to the body portion. Such resilient means preferably comprises a coiled, compression spring 34, which has its uppermost coil 36 bearing directly on the inner end 38 of the opening 28 and has an offset portion 40 that extends through and is anchored to an apertured ear 42 which depends from the end wall 38. The lowermost coil of the spring 34 is provided with an extension 44 that is inserted in an axial bore 46 in the ground-engaging element 30 and suitably anchored therein by a radially extending locking bar 48. Of course, such specific anchoring arrangements for the compression spring are exemplary in nature, since the spring may be anchored at its end to the ground-engaging element and to the inner end wall 38 in various other ways provided that the anchoring permits the spring to achieve the dual purpose of dampening or buffering the inward or upward movement of the ground-engaging element and of preventing separation of the ground-engaging element and the body portion in an extreme extended position of the ground-engaging element outwardly and downwardly from the body portion.

Such resilient means, in addition, includes elastic bands 50, which are suitably secured between the body portion and the upper end of the ground-engaging element so as to oppose the upward movement of the ground-engaging element in the body portion or, conversely stated, the downward movement of the body portion on the groundengaging element. Such bands 50, preferably, have end portions which are secured by suitable fasteners 52 to the lower end of the lower section 14 of the body portion, adjacent the lower open end of the opening 28. Similarly, the bands have upper ends which are secured by suitable fasteners 54 to the upper end of the ground-engaging element St To ensure a free sliding relation between the bounding wall of the opening 28 or the housing 26 and the ground-engaging element and to reduce to a minimum any frictional drag between such surfaces, the groundengaging element is provided with axially extending, peripheral slots or grooves 55, in which the main portions of the elastic bands 50 are positioned between their opposing anchored ends. Obviously, the circumferential spacing of the grooves 55 is dependent upon the number of bands 50 and their specific arrangement. Ideally, four bands are provided and are spaced 90 degrees apart, so that the ground-engaging element will be provided with four, equidistantly spaced slots to accommodate the bands 50.

Thus, the elastic bands 50 and the compression spring 34 cooperate to urge the ground-engaging element and the body portion in opposite directions, with the compression spring 34 functioning to dampen the inward or upward movement of the ground-engaging element relative to the body portion, as will be described.

As an additional factor in enhancing the amusement quality of the device, means is provided for offsetting the balance of a rider so as to require the rider not only to learn to control his own balance but to control such additional means. Such means, as shown in detail in Figures 4-6, includes a spherical weight 56, which ideally, though not restrictively, may be in the form of a two-pound solid ball. The weight 56 is freely disposed within a housing 58, which is formed above the center of gravity of the body portion and may be positioned between the seat means 24 and the opening 28. Thus, the housing 58 may be defined by the inner or upper end wall 38 of the opening and a vertically spaced and parallel wall 59, which may be integral with the housing 26 in the instance of a hollow body portion. The wall 38 is attached by fasteners 69 to the housing 26 and constitutes the bottom wall of the housing 58. It is preferred that the housing 58 be circular in cross-section or, at least, formed in a manner so as not to possess any corner obstructions. The side wall of the housing is lined with a resilient liner 60 so as to absorb the shocks of the weight 56 striking against the side of the housing in the movements of the body portion.

In the use of the amusement device 10, attention being directed to Figures 1-3, a rider 62 sits on the seat means or saddle 24- with his legs 64 straddling the sides of the body portion 12, with his feet resting on the ground and with his hands on the reins, the bottom end 32 of the ground-engaging element being in contact with the ground, designated by the numeral 66. In such position, the weight of the rider is borne by his legs, so that the groundengaging element 30 is in its outermost extended position relative to the opening 28, such position being assured by the resilient means 34 and 50. In initiating the bucking action of the device 10, the rider 62 drops his weight onto the body portion which forces the body portion down over the ground-engaging element or, conversely stated, moves the ground-engaging element upwardly in the opening 28. Such relative movement of the body portion and the ground-engaging element stretches the elastic bands 50 so that they are under strong tension. The relative movement of the ground-engaging element and body portion is dampened by the compression spring 34 which additionally serves to prevent the ground-engaging element from advancing too far into the opening 28. The riders feet are still in ground-engagement but the weight of the rider is borne practically entirely by the body portion 12 through the ground-engaging element 30. With his feet on the ground, the rider then pushes his weight sharply upward and releases the tension on the elastic bands 50. Upon the release of the tension on the bands 56, the bands immediately urge the ground-engaging element 30 downwardly and cause a relative separation movement between the ground-engaging element and the body portion 12. Such action causes the body portion and the ground-engaging element to move upwardly away from the ground 66 in a manner similar to the action of a bucking horse.

As the body portion and the ground-engaging element, with the rider, move downwardly toward the ground, the ground-engaging element again comes in contact with the ground. The rider retains his feet free from the ground until the moment his weight has fully stretched the elastic bands and, at this moment, the rider again touches the ground with his feet and pushes sharply upward, again causing the device 10 to leap into the air with the rider.

It is to be noted that the entire device 10 leaves the ground and returns to the ground under the operation of the rider, due to the provision of the resilient means. After several riding sessions, the rider can become so proficient that he can, by proper manipulation of his feet and weight, cause the device 10 to jump forward, sideways, or the reverse direction while bucking, i.e., moving vertically relative to the ground, or any combination of these actions. During the movement of the body portion 12, the freely movable weight 56 will roll in the housing 58 to change the center of gravity of the body portion and the rider will have to learn to control not only his own balance but also the weight 56, so as to offset the action thereof.

It is believed that the device 10, in its reproductions of the physical actions of the bronco, will enable a rider to become proficient in the riding of horses and, thus the device, not only has amusement value but also possesses instructive value.

While the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, other forms may be realized as come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An amusement device for simulating the action of a bucking bronco comprising a body portion simulative of a bronco horse and having seat means to accommodate a person with the legs of the person straddling the body portion and resting at times on the ground, said body portion having a vertical opening extending through its underside directly below the seat means, a ground-engaging member slidably mounted in the opening and counteracting resilient means operatively interposed between the body portion and the ground-engaging member for urging the ground-engaging member dowwardly from the body portion and dampening the upward movement of the ground-engaging member, said ground-engaging member having a hemispherical bottom end for universal movement in direct engagement with the ground.

2. An amusement device for simulating the action of a bucking bronco comprising a body portion simulative of a bronco horse and having seat means to accommodate a person with the legs of the person straddling the body portion and resting at times on the ground, a groundengaging means carried by and depending from the body portion and having a lower free bearing end for direct ground contact, means mounting the ground-engaging means for vertical reciprocal movement in the body portion and resilient means urging the ground-engaging means downwardly from the body portion and dampening the upward movement of the ground-engaging means toward the body portion, and freely movable weight means mounted in the body portion to change the center of gravity of the body portion.

3. An amusement device for simulating the action of a bucking bronco comprising a body portion simulative of a bronco horse and having seat means to accommodate a person with the legs of the person straddling the body portion and resting at times on the ground, said body portion having a vertical opening extending through its underside directly below and in vertical alignment with said seat means, a ground-engaging member slidably mounted in the opening and resilient means operatively interposed between the body portion and the groundengaging member for urging the ground-engaging member downwardly from the body portion and dampening the upward movement of the ground-engaging member, said ground-engaging member being circular in cross-section and said opening being cylindrical and said ground-engaging member having a rounded bottom end adapted to directly contact the ground.

4. An amusement device for simulating the action of a bucking bronco comprising a body portion simulative of a bronco horse and having seat means to accommodate a person with the legs of the person straddling the body portion and resting at times on the ground, a groundengaging means carried by and depending from the body portion and having a free lower spherical end for direct ground engagement, means mounting the ground-engaging means for vertical reciprocal movement in the body portion and resilient means urging the ground-engaging means downwardly from the body portion and dampening the upward movemet of the ground-engaging means toward the body portion, a circular housing below the seat means, and a spherical weight freely movable in the housing to change the center of gravity of the body portion, said opening underlying the seat means and being in vertical alignment therewith.

5. An amusement device for simulating the action of a bucking bronco comprising a body portion simulative of a bronco horse and having seat means to accommodate a person with the legs of the person straddling the body portion and resting at times on the ground, said body 6 portion having a vertical opening extending through its underside, a ground-engaging member slidably mounted in the opening and having a lower free end for direct ground contact and resilient means operatively interposed between the body portion and the ground-engaging member for urging the ground-engaging member downwardly from the body portion and dampening the upward movement of the ground-engaging member, said resilient means including a compression spring interposed between the closed end of the opening and the upper end of the groundengaging member and resilient bands connected between the body portion adjacent the lower, open end of the opening and the upper end of the ground-engaging member.

6. An amusement device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein a circular housing is horizontally provided in the body portion below the seat means and a spherical weight is housed for free rolling movement in the housing to change the center of gravity of the body portion.

7. An amusement device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein circular housing is horizontally provided in the body portion below the seat means and a spherical weight is housed for free rolling movement in the housing to change the center of gravity of the body portion and said housing having a cushioned wall to cushion the impacts of the weight.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 94,767 Joutras Mar. 5, 1935 542,871 Crandall July 16, 1895 2,743,104 Dodson Apr. 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 370,108 Great Britain Apr. 7, 1932 

